Factors affecting home range size and overlap in Calomys venustus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) in Argentine agroecosystems

doi:10.1078/1616-5047-00014

Mammalian Biology

Volume 67, Issue 2, 2002, Pages 97-104

https://doi.org/10.1078/1616-5047-00014 Get rights and content

Summary

In this study, information concerning home range size and overlap of Calomys venustus (Thomas, 1894), in relation to sex, population size, and breeding periods is provided. The present study was carried out on a railway bank in southern Córdoba Province (Argentina), between October 1994 and September 1997, using the capture-mark-recapture method. Home range size in C. venustus depended on breeding period and population size, and was independent of sex. The degree of home range overlap was dependent on breeding and non-breeding periods and overlap type (intra- or intersexual), but was independent of population density. During the breeding period, females showed a small degree of intrasexual home range overlap. In general, male home ranges largely overlapped with females. The conclusion is that differences in home range size of C. venustus could be determined by season and population size. Moreover, the degree of inter- and intrasexual home range overlap during the breeding period suggested that males and females of C. venustus use space differently. Females did not share their home range with other females, while males fully shared it with both sexes, and male spacing is influenced by female distribution.

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At present, the landscape consists mainly of crop fields surrounded by wire fences, and crossed by paved and dirt roads and water streams; “border” habitats develop along these landscape elements. Borders are habitats with more homogeneous plant cover throughout the year than their surrounding habitats in farm landscapes (Priotto et al., 2002). Two groups of transects were laid out on field borders on opposite sides of two 7-m wide secondary dirt roads (A opposite to B, C opposite to D, respectively.
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Seasonal variation in the use of space may be explained by seasonal changes in reproductive activity, population density or food availability. Studies conducted on rodent populations have shown that the space use size is inversely related to the population density (Ambrose, 1973; Erlinge et al., 1990; Makarieva et al., 2005; Priotto et al., 2002). The presence of a member of the population affects the space used by another member because it imposes limits on its movements (Alho and Souza, 1982).
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Movement patterns of Akodon azarae and Calomys venustus in linear habitats were studied in relation to sex, season and abundance. Movement distances were measured by seasonal capture-mark-recapture samples from November 2005 to August 2007 in field borders in agro-ecosystems of Central Argentina. Movement distances in A. azarae varied by season and sex. During the breeding period, movement distances of males were longer than those of females, meanwhile in non-breeding period movement distances became similar between sexes. The main effect of sex on movement distances is consistent with the promiscuous / polygynous mating system suggested for A. azarae. Abundance and sex were the most important factor affecting movement distances in C. venustus, males moved larger distances than females and the higher the abundance, the shorter the movement distances of individuals. The results of this study may have implications in the management of non-crop linear habitats in agriculture landscapes since the maintenance of field borders would be important to support rodent populations that are important food sources for birds and mammals.
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Origional investigationFactors affecting home range size and overlap in Calomys venustus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) in Argentine agroecosystems

Summary

J. Theor. Biol.

Trends Ecol. Evol.

Relation between home range sizes and regulation of population size in Microtus ochrogaster

Oikos

Demography of a habitat generalist, the white-footed mouse, in a heterogeneous environment

Ecology

Dispersion patterns of mice in California annual grassland

I Mammalogy

Home range and social organization of the singing vole (Microtus miurus)

J. Mammalogy

Analysis of spacing behaviour of females from a live-trapping study of Clethrionomys gapperi

Ann. Zool. Fenn.

Competitive interactions among rodents (Akodon azarae, Calomys laucha, C. musculinus, and Oligoryzomys flavescens) in a two-habitat system. I. Spatial and numerical relationships

Mammalia

Esquema fitogeográfico de la Republica Argentina

Revista Museo de la Plata, Botánica

La alimentatión del roedor Calomys venustus en poblaciones dc Córdoba, Diss. thesis

Study on the diet and feeding preferences of Calomys venustus (Rodentia, Muridae)

Mastozoología Neotropical

Comparison of vole movements assessed by live trapping and radiotracking

I Mammalogy

Ecological studies in crop fields of the endemic area of Argentine haemorrhagic fever. Calomys musculinus movements in relation to habitat and abundance

Mammalia

Habitat selection, social structure, density and predation in populations of Cricetine rodents in the pampa region of Argentina and the effects of agricultural practices on them

Mammalia

Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems

Science

Density-related home-range size and overlap in adult field voles (Microtus agrestis) in southern Sweden

J. Mammalogy

Spatial organization in a small population of the root vole Microtus oeconomus in a linear habitat

Acta Theriol.

Home range size an population dynamics in the prairie vole Microtus ochrogaster

Oikos

Home range size as a predictor of mating systems in Microtus

J. Mammalogy

Home ranges, territoriality, and movement of the meadow vole

J. Mammalogy

Sexual dimorphism in size, relative size of testes, and mating systems in North American voles

J. Mammalogy

Food production and competitor density as determinants of feeding territory size

Am. Nat.

Effects of food and predators on the home range size of arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii)

Can. J. Zool.

Responses in spatial organization and behaviour to manipulations of the food resource in the vole Clethrionomys rufocanus

J. Anim. Ecol.

The potential for sexual selection in males: effect of sex ratio and spatio-temporal distribution of receptive females

Evol. Ecol.

Spatial clumping of sexually receptive females induces space sharing among male voles

Nature

Effects of forage availability on home range and population density of Microtus pennsylvanicus

J. Mammalogy

Comunidades de roedores en agroecosistemas del Departamento Río Cuarto, Córdoba

Ecosur

Origional investigation
Factors affecting home range size and overlap in Calomys venustus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) in Argentine agroecosystems